Introducing Project Black part deux; those with a longer memory will remember my previous long termer a Kona Kilauea singlespeed based on a ’96 frame.

A chance meeting with Andy Mee at the Keswick Mountain Festival resulted in me walking away with the all new Kilauea, available from Kona as a frameset only, in very shiny racelight carbon…

The all new carbon Kona Kilauea frame

There’s a couple of details that might upset Kona aficionados not least the square top tube which has divided office opinion. But I like the fact that Kona have managed to update the Kilauea into a modern translation of what has been a classic frame.

Weight is a claimed 2lb 4oz; our 18″ frame came in at 2lb 10oz on our scales. Fast and light here we go.

The kicking K headbadge

The frame features an internal headset up front and a shorter back end, reducing deflection under braking and to “accellerate quicker”.

Curvy disk brace out back

Which just leaves the question of what to build it up with? So far I’ve managed to grab the Rockshox Sid worldcups from the Issue 58 fork test and a pair of XTR wheels. I’m going to have to have a think about the rest….

Don’t like it. Why do they have to call it something it’s not. Just call it something new and leave the Kilauea as it is. It’s a bit like Orange bringing out a Carbon Clockwork???????? I’m sure it’s nice but those decals make it look cheap, but that’s just my opinion, im sure she’ll sell well and have an army of fans.